Send Me is a blog that focuses on conveying Biblical truths with an encouraging voice. I desire to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ through stories, poems, articles, and insights. I want the reader to feel welcome regardless of his or her background. I hope you enjoy what I have written.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Here is a blog from the past. I believe it will be a blessing to all of you...

(Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.) 1 Samuel 3:7Samuel
was a young boy serving under Eli, the high priest at the time. Samuel
heard a voice calling out his name, while he was lying down. He
immediately went to Eli and said, “Here I am, you called me.” Eli told
Samuel that he did not speak to him and Samuel lied down again. This
happened three times. After the third instance, Eli realized that God
was speaking to the young boy. He said, “Go and lie down, and if he
calls you , say, 'Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.'” Samuel
obeyed, and this time, when the Lord spoke his name, Samuel replied as
Eli instructed.

The Lord then revealed to him a word of judgment
toward Eli, which included specific consequences that were to take place
in the future. The Lord was angry with Eli for not restraining his
unruly and wicked sons. Although Samuel was hesitant to relay the
message to Eli, the high priest insisted that he recount the entire
prophetic word to him. The pronouncement later came to pass and Samuel
grew to be a great man of God.

In the Old Testament, the Holy
Spirit came upon a few select people. God primarily anointed kings,
prophets, and priests for service. In the New Testament, each born again
believer has the Holy Spirit living in him or her, and each of us can
hear His voice. As a young believer, I desired greatly to hear the voice
of the Lord. It took time and effort to discern His voice in my life. I
often made mistakes along the journey. Over time, and with the help of
solid Biblical instruction, I discovered a few things about hearing from
God....

God usually speaks in ways that are less dramatic

He normally communicates to His children in a still small voice or by a spiritual impression

He also gives us spiritual pictures or visions

His communication comes to us spontaneously, as we worshipfully look to the Lord

One important practice in receiving God's messages to us is to write down what we hear and see

Jesus always speaks to us in a loving way, even when He corrects us

The Holy Spirit will always agree with the written word of God

When we obey the Holy Spirit, it keeps us sensitive to His leading

When we consistently resist the Holy Spirit's promptings, we can grow deaf to his call

It is good to be accountable to a mature believer, while discerning God's voice, especially when making major decisions

After you have heard from God, check what you've heard or seen and make sure it lines up with Scripture

Much
of what I've learned about hearing from God can be attributed to a book
and course called Communion with God, written by Mark Virkler. I highly
recommend this book! I am still on the journey to hear more and more
clearly from the Lord, and I still make mistakes. But I have discovered
that there is nothing more satisfying than drawing near to the Lord and
allowing Him to speak to my heart. This is what intimacy with God is all
about. His messages to us bring healing, encouragement, direction, and
peace. I hope you will come along with me on this journey to hear and
obey God's voice.

Monday, July 4, 2016

And you will know the truth, and the
truth will set you free. John 8:32 NLT

Houdini was a master of escape, who
thrilled audiences from 1891 until his death in1926. He freed
himself from handcuffs, straight jackets, and prison cells. He
allowed the police to fashion custom handcuffs which he unfastened
from his wrists. He even freed himself from shackles while he was
underwater and upside down. Some of us have become accustom to
spiritual prisons. We try and try to break free but to no avail.

When Jesus walked the earth, he
liberated those captive to sin and demonic oppression. Although he
did this when He cast out demons, he also brought freedom to people
by preaching and teaching the word. The word of God has power, power
to free us from the plans and strategies of Satan.

We can find our way out of any dark
spiritual prison by feeding on God's word. First, we need to allow
the Holy Spirit to give us understanding of His word. We can
meditate on Bible verses that center on who we are in Christ. We can
also hide God's word in our heart in the area of our sin. Second, we
will need to resolve to obey the Scriptures – to follow the word
through the power of the Holy Spirit. Last, we can speak God's word
over our lives in the light of the victory that Christ has won for us
at Calvary. Jesus spoke the word when he was tempted and, we can do
the same. We truly can have victory over any trap we may be
caught in.

Here is an example of how a person can
find freedom. I will choose the bondage of lust as a type of prison
we can find ourselves in. The first step would be to meditate on
Scriptures such as, “Flee youthful lusts and pursue righteousness,
faith, love and peace along with those who call upon the name of the
Lord with a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22. Here is another helpful
verse: “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to
God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:11.

Next, we are to choose to obey God's
word regarding lust. We must flee from it and from anything that
tempts us in this area. If pornography is something we turn to
either frequently or infrequently, we must run away from it
altogether. Cease from looking at it. We also may need to become
accountable to a friend regarding our weakness.

Finally, we can declare victory over
our sin and oppression by quoting the word of God in the light of our
standing with Christ. We can say, “I flee youthful lusts, and I
pursue righteousness along with those who call upon the name of the
Lord with a pure heart. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, I am
dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. I am a new creation in
Christ, and I am the righteousness of God in Christ. Lust has no
power over me!”

These steps are found in God's word.
They are powerful, and they work. Before I came to Christ and while
I was a young believer, I struggled with the sin of lust, but God set
me free by following these principles. They work in any area of temptation. They can
bring us freedom over sinful patterns such as: anger, depression,
condemnation, fear, compromise, and deceit.

We must submit to God and resist the
devil. No matter how many times we fail, we must not give up. The
Scripture says a righteous man falls seven times, but he gets back up.
God is extremely merciful to us when we set our hearts to obey him
even when we sometimes fail.

Let's invite the Lord to search our
hearts. If there is an area that he shows you regarding a pattern of
temptation you are caught in, offer it to him and commit to follow
after Him in the way I prescribed. Then you, like Houdini, will
break free from your bondage. It may take time, but as you follow in
this way you will experience complete victory. Praise the Lord God who always causes us to triumph!

Friday, July 1, 2016

My wife and I just returned from a five day trip to Grand Rapids and
Petoskey Michigan. Petoskey was beautiful. Here are some words I jotted
down after viewing Christ's creation.

A Symphony of Praise

The tide's rhythm and the beauty of the blue, sun-filled sky and the deeper blue waters sang their symphony
of praise to the Creator of all things. And we joined in. Celebrating
the good day. Majesty to the One who holds us in His hands. The glory of
nature reminds us that the Master is among us. Holy is He who parted
the Red Sea. Holy is He who saved you and me. Glory be to you my Lord
and my King.

Followers

A Little About Me

I love three things passionately: my gracious Lord, my incredible wife, and Greek food (I am Greek). I desire to know the Lord more and to make Him known. I graduated from the Christian Writers Guild and truly love writing. I also graduated from Charis Bible College and Benedictine University. Several articles, devotions, and poems of mine have been published.